Dietary Phosphorus Requirements of Deer

For more than 25 years, numerous authors of reports and texts have repeatedly published that 0.56% and 0.25% phosphorus are optimum and minimum dietary levels required by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Scrutiny of the literature reveals that data do not sufficiently support these statements. Original statements were based on the performance of 1 deer. Dietary levels of other nutrients were also low. Minimum dietary levels of phosphorus required by deer are not known. Obviously, authors have cited these results without carefully reading the literature.