{"id":{"repo_id":"sdstate","oai_identifier":"oai:openprairie.sdstate.edu:etd-1550"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/sdstate/oai:openprairie.sdstate.edu:etd-1550","repository":{"repo_id":"sdstate","name":"South Dakota State University","base_url":"https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Nutritional Ecology of White-Tailed Deer: Assessment of an Index to Diet Quality and a Repellent","abstract":"Concentration of fecal nitrogen has been used widely as an indicator of forage quality for free-ranging ruminants. Differences in digestive function between species of dimorphic ungulates render interspecific comparisons of fecal nitrogen unreliable; however, it is unknown whether sexual differences in digestive function also may bias this nutritional index. My objective was to compare sex-specific variation in the concentration of fecal nitrogen using male, non-lactating female, and lactating female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on control and restricted diets. During weekly trials, I monitored intake rates, collected feces twice daily, and used Micro Kjeldahl procedures to determine percent fecal nitrogen. I also determined nitrogen content of feces following a neutral detergent fiber (NDF) rinse during pre-, peak-, and postlactation. Fecal nitrogen reflected general differences in dietary quality between diets; however, fecal nitrogen of lactating females in both dietary groups was lower (P < 0.05) than for males or non-lactating females throughout the lactation period. In addition, nitrogen concentration following a neutral detergent fiber rinse was lower for lactating females during peak lactation. I hypothesize that the remodeling of the digestive tract by lactating females enhances their ability to extract nitrogen from their forage; therefore, fecal nitrogen is influenced by reproductive status of females. Agricultural producers lose millions of dollars annually to depredation caused by ungulates; although multiple repellents exist for deer, most are ineffective. Tannins are a plant defensive compound that have an astringent taste, reduce digestibility, reduce protein availability, and are toxic to rumen microbes, resulting in the reduction in feeding by large herbivores. I hypothesized that chemical application of tannins to soybeans and other forages would provide a non-lethal method to reduce crop depredation in areas susceptible to deer damage. I designed an experiment to test the effectiveness of tannins at deterring feeding by captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on soybeans and other forages in 2010-2011. First, using a cafeteria trial, I monitored weekly intake rates of captive deer (n=10) offered a highly-preferred feed treated with varying concentrations of quebracho tannins (control, 3%, 5%, 10%, and 20%). Second, I manipulated food plots (n=3) by treating 3 separate blocks with different concentrations (0% [control], 10%, and 20%) of tannins. I monitored feeding preference relative to tannin treatments within food plots three times per week, during mid- (May – July) and late-summer (August – September) using scan sampling. During cafeteria trials, intake rate of control feed was at least three times greater (all P < 0.05) than all other tannin treated feeds. Similarly, in manipulated food plots, application of 10% and 20% tannins resulted in a 72% and 89% reduction in probability of feeding during the summer; this pattern of preference was intensified when trials occurred on consecutive days (P<0.001). Strategic application of tannins to agricultural crops may provide a natural deterrent to deer depredation. In a free-ranging assessment, I designed an experiment to test the effectiveness of tannins to deter feeding by white-tailed deer on corn and soybeans in areas of high white-tailed deer density in 2010-2011. I monitored depredation in strategically placed plots (n = 25) in agricultural fields in eastern South Dakota. Each plot consisted of three treatments; control, 10% tannins, and 20% tannins. I counted number of plants browsed on a weekly basis to assess total amount of depredation. In 2011, I added an adjuvant to the tannin concentration to increase retention on the plants. Corn and soybean plots without the adjuvant deterred feeding 7% to 36%, whereas corn and soybeans with the adjuvant deterred feeding by 0% to 20%. Strategic application of tannins to agricultural crops may provide a natural deterrent to deer depredation.","abstract_html":"Concentration of fecal nitrogen has been used widely as an indicator of forage quality for free-ranging ruminants. Differences in digestive function between species of dimorphic ungulates render interspecific comparisons of fecal nitrogen unreliable; however, it is unknown whether sexual differences in digestive function also may bias this nutritional index. My objective was to compare sex-specific variation in the concentration of fecal nitrogen using male, non-lactating female, and lactating female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on control and restricted diets. During weekly trials, I monitored intake rates, collected feces twice daily, and used Micro Kjeldahl procedures to determine percent fecal nitrogen. I also determined nitrogen content of feces following a neutral detergent fiber (NDF) rinse during pre-, peak-, and postlactation. Fecal nitrogen reflected general differences in dietary quality between diets; however, fecal nitrogen of lactating females in both dietary groups was lower (P &lt; 0.05) than for males or non-lactating females throughout the lactation period. In addition, nitrogen concentration following a neutral detergent fiber rinse was lower for lactating females during peak lactation. I hypothesize that the remodeling of the digestive tract by lactating females enhances their ability to extract nitrogen from their forage; therefore, fecal nitrogen is influenced by reproductive status of females. Agricultural producers lose millions of dollars annually to depredation caused by ungulates; although multiple repellents exist for deer, most are ineffective. Tannins are a plant defensive compound that have an astringent taste, reduce digestibility, reduce protein availability, and are toxic to rumen microbes, resulting in the reduction in feeding by large herbivores. I hypothesized that chemical application of tannins to soybeans and other forages would provide a non-lethal method to reduce crop depredation in areas susceptible to deer damage. I designed an experiment to test the effectiveness of tannins at deterring feeding by captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on soybeans and other forages in 2010-2011. First, using a cafeteria trial, I monitored weekly intake rates of captive deer (n=10) offered a highly-preferred feed treated with varying concentrations of quebracho tannins (control, 3%, 5%, 10%, and 20%). Second, I manipulated food plots (n=3) by treating 3 separate blocks with different concentrations (0% [control], 10%, and 20%) of tannins. I monitored feeding preference relative to tannin treatments within food plots three times per week, during mid- (May – July) and late-summer (August – September) using scan sampling. During cafeteria trials, intake rate of control feed was at least three times greater (all P &lt; 0.05) than all other tannin treated feeds. Similarly, in manipulated food plots, application of 10% and 20% tannins resulted in a 72% and 89% reduction in probability of feeding during the summer; this pattern of preference was intensified when trials occurred on consecutive days (P&lt;0.001). Strategic application of tannins to agricultural crops may provide a natural deterrent to deer depredation. In a free-ranging assessment, I designed an experiment to test the effectiveness of tannins to deter feeding by white-tailed deer on corn and soybeans in areas of high white-tailed deer density in 2010-2011. I monitored depredation in strategically placed plots (n = 25) in agricultural fields in eastern South Dakota. Each plot consisted of three treatments; control, 10% tannins, and 20% tannins. I counted number of plants browsed on a weekly basis to assess total amount of depredation. In 2011, I added an adjuvant to the tannin concentration to increase retention on the plants. Corn and soybean plots without the adjuvant deterred feeding 7% to 36%, whereas corn and soybeans with the adjuvant deterred feeding by 0% to 20%. Strategic application of tannins to agricultural crops may provide a natural deterrent to deer depredation.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Monteith, Kyle Bradley"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Thesis - University Access Only","degree_discipline":"Natural Resource Management","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Jonathan A. Jenks"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:28:04Z","subjects":["Natural Resources and Conservation"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Copyright © 2012 Kyle Bradley Monteith. All rights reserved."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/550","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Jonathan A. 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All rights reserved."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/550"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Concentration of fecal nitrogen has been used widely as an indicator of forage quality for free-ranging ruminants. Differences in digestive function between species of dimorphic ungulates render interspecific comparisons of fecal nitrogen unreliable; however, it is unknown whether sexual differences in digestive function also may bias this nutritional index. My objective was to compare sex-specific variation in the concentration of fecal nitrogen using male, non-lactating female, and lactating female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on control and restricted diets. During weekly trials, I monitored intake rates, collected feces twice daily, and used Micro Kjeldahl procedures to determine percent fecal nitrogen. I also determined nitrogen content of feces following a neutral detergent fiber (NDF) rinse during pre-, peak-, and postlactation. Fecal nitrogen reflected general differences in dietary quality between diets; however, fecal nitrogen of lactating females in both dietary groups was lower (P < 0.05) than for males or non-lactating females throughout the lactation period. In addition, nitrogen concentration following a neutral detergent fiber rinse was lower for lactating females during peak lactation. I hypothesize that the remodeling of the digestive tract by lactating females enhances their ability to extract nitrogen from their forage; therefore, fecal nitrogen is influenced by reproductive status of females. Agricultural producers lose millions of dollars annually to depredation caused by ungulates; although multiple repellents exist for deer, most are ineffective. Tannins are a plant defensive compound that have an astringent taste, reduce digestibility, reduce protein availability, and are toxic to rumen microbes, resulting in the reduction in feeding by large herbivores. I hypothesized that chemical application of tannins to soybeans and other forages would provide a non-lethal method to reduce crop depredation in areas susceptible to deer damage. I designed an experiment to test the effectiveness of tannins at deterring feeding by captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on soybeans and other forages in 2010-2011. First, using a cafeteria trial, I monitored weekly intake rates of captive deer (n=10) offered a highly-preferred feed treated with varying concentrations of quebracho tannins (control, 3%, 5%, 10%, and 20%). Second, I manipulated food plots (n=3) by treating 3 separate blocks with different concentrations (0% [control], 10%, and 20%) of tannins. I monitored feeding preference relative to tannin treatments within food plots three times per week, during mid- (May – July) and late-summer (August – September) using scan sampling. During cafeteria trials, intake rate of control feed was at least three times greater (all P < 0.05) than all other tannin treated feeds. Similarly, in manipulated food plots, application of 10% and 20% tannins resulted in a 72% and 89% reduction in probability of feeding during the summer; this pattern of preference was intensified when trials occurred on consecutive days (P<0.001). Strategic application of tannins to agricultural crops may provide a natural deterrent to deer depredation. In a free-ranging assessment, I designed an experiment to test the effectiveness of tannins to deter feeding by white-tailed deer on corn and soybeans in areas of high white-tailed deer density in 2010-2011. I monitored depredation in strategically placed plots (n = 25) in agricultural fields in eastern South Dakota. Each plot consisted of three treatments; control, 10% tannins, and 20% tannins. I counted number of plants browsed on a weekly basis to assess total amount of depredation. In 2011, I added an adjuvant to the tannin concentration to increase retention on the plants. Corn and soybean plots without the adjuvant deterred feeding 7% to 36%, whereas corn and soybeans with the adjuvant deterred feeding by 0% to 20%. Strategic application of tannins to agricultural crops may provide a natural deterrent to deer depredation."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Nutritional Ecology of White-Tailed Deer: Assessment of an Index to Diet Quality and a Repellent"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Jonathan A. Jenks"],"dc:creator":["Monteith, Kyle Bradley"],"dc:description.abstract":["Concentration of fecal nitrogen has been used widely as an indicator of forage quality for free-ranging ruminants. Differences in digestive function between species of dimorphic ungulates render interspecific comparisons of fecal nitrogen unreliable; however, it is unknown whether sexual differences in digestive function also may bias this nutritional index. My objective was to compare sex-specific variation in the concentration of fecal nitrogen using male, non-lactating female, and lactating female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on control and restricted diets. During weekly trials, I monitored intake rates, collected feces twice daily, and used Micro Kjeldahl procedures to determine percent fecal nitrogen. I also determined nitrogen content of feces following a neutral detergent fiber (NDF) rinse during pre-, peak-, and postlactation. Fecal nitrogen reflected general differences in dietary quality between diets; however, fecal nitrogen of lactating females in both dietary groups was lower (P < 0.05) than for males or non-lactating females throughout the lactation period. In addition, nitrogen concentration following a neutral detergent fiber rinse was lower for lactating females during peak lactation. I hypothesize that the remodeling of the digestive tract by lactating females enhances their ability to extract nitrogen from their forage; therefore, fecal nitrogen is influenced by reproductive status of females. Agricultural producers lose millions of dollars annually to depredation caused by ungulates; although multiple repellents exist for deer, most are ineffective. Tannins are a plant defensive compound that have an astringent taste, reduce digestibility, reduce protein availability, and are toxic to rumen microbes, resulting in the reduction in feeding by large herbivores. I hypothesized that chemical application of tannins to soybeans and other forages would provide a non-lethal method to reduce crop depredation in areas susceptible to deer damage. I designed an experiment to test the effectiveness of tannins at deterring feeding by captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on soybeans and other forages in 2010-2011. First, using a cafeteria trial, I monitored weekly intake rates of captive deer (n=10) offered a highly-preferred feed treated with varying concentrations of quebracho tannins (control, 3%, 5%, 10%, and 20%). Second, I manipulated food plots (n=3) by treating 3 separate blocks with different concentrations (0% [control], 10%, and 20%) of tannins. I monitored feeding preference relative to tannin treatments within food plots three times per week, during mid- (May – July) and late-summer (August – September) using scan sampling. During cafeteria trials, intake rate of control feed was at least three times greater (all P < 0.05) than all other tannin treated feeds. Similarly, in manipulated food plots, application of 10% and 20% tannins resulted in a 72% and 89% reduction in probability of feeding during the summer; this pattern of preference was intensified when trials occurred on consecutive days (P<0.001). Strategic application of tannins to agricultural crops may provide a natural deterrent to deer depredation. In a free-ranging assessment, I designed an experiment to test the effectiveness of tannins to deter feeding by white-tailed deer on corn and soybeans in areas of high white-tailed deer density in 2010-2011. I monitored depredation in strategically placed plots (n = 25) in agricultural fields in eastern South Dakota. Each plot consisted of three treatments; control, 10% tannins, and 20% tannins. I counted number of plants browsed on a weekly basis to assess total amount of depredation. In 2011, I added an adjuvant to the tannin concentration to increase retention on the plants. Corn and soybean plots without the adjuvant deterred feeding 7% to 36%, whereas corn and soybeans with the adjuvant deterred feeding by 0% to 20%. Strategic application of tannins to agricultural crops may provide a natural deterrent to deer depredation."],"dc:identifier":["https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/550"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:rights":["Copyright © 2012 Kyle Bradley Monteith. All rights reserved."],"dc:subject":["Natural Resources and Conservation"],"dc:title":["Nutritional Ecology of White-Tailed Deer: Assessment of an Index to Diet Quality and a Repellent"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Natural Resource Management"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - University Access Only"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:28:04Z"}