A doe (adult female deer) is a strict herbivore with a highly specialized digestive system adapted for processing plant matter. Like cattle and sheep, deer are ruminants, possessing a four-chambered stomach to ferment and break down vegetation. This complex system allows them to consume forage quickly and process it later, a behavior known as “chewing the cud.” The doe’s specific digestive strategy classifies her as a concentrate selector, meaning she preferentially seeks out nutrient-dense, easily digestible plant parts rather than large quantities of low-quality, high-fiber grasses.
Primary Vegetation Sources
The bulk of a doe’s diet throughout the year is composed of three main categories of plant material. The most reliable food source, particularly in colder months, is browse, which consists of the terminal twigs, buds, and leaves of woody plants and shrubs. A doe consumes the tender, new growth of species like maple, aspen, and various shrubs, selecting the most palatable and digestible portions.
The most highly preferred food category is forbs, which are broad-leafed, non-woody plants like weeds and herbs. Forbs are favored because they have high digestibility and often contain a greater concentration of protein compared to woody browse. When available, the doe prioritizes these succulent plants, especially during periods of high nutritional demand.
The third category, grasses, is the least preferred by the doe. Unlike bulk grazers such as cattle, the doe’s smaller digestive system is less efficient at breaking down the high cellulose content in mature grasses. Consequently, grasses are consumed only when forbs and high-quality browse are scarce or when the grass is young and tender, offering less fiber and more easily digestible nutrients.
Seasonal Adaptations in Feeding
A doe’s nutritional strategy changes dramatically across the calendar year, aligning with her biological needs. The highest demand occurs during spring and summer, the period of gestation, fawning, and lactation. During this time, the doe prioritizes a high-protein diet, selectively consuming new growth browse and high-quality forbs to support milk production.
Lactation is the most energetically demanding phase, requiring a substantial increase in protein and energy intake to maintain the doe’s body condition while nourishing her offspring. As summer transitions into fall, the focus shifts from protein acquisition to energy storage. She seeks out high-carbohydrate foods to accumulate the fat necessary for surviving the cold winter months. This fat accumulation is necessary because the doe’s metabolism slows significantly in winter to conserve energy. Food sources become limited, and the diet shifts to less nutritious, high-fiber woody browse, forcing the doe to rely heavily on her stored fat reserves to survive until spring.
Critical Supplemental Nutrition
Certain high-energy and non-plant sources supplement the doe’s core vegetative diet, offering concentrated nutrition when needed. Mast, which includes hard fruits like acorns, hickory nuts, and beechnuts, is a highly valued food source in the fall. These nuts are dense in carbohydrates and fats, providing an efficient way for the doe to build crucial fat reserves before winter.
In regions with human development, agricultural crops serve as high-density, temporary food sources. Corn, soybeans, and alfalfa are attractive to deer, offering concentrated calories and protein that are easily accessible. However, an abrupt change to a diet heavy in these starches can disrupt the microbial balance within the doe’s specialized rumen.
The doe also requires specific mineral requirements that cannot be met by vegetation alone. Calcium and phosphorus are important for her own bone maintenance and for milk production during lactation. These minerals are often obtained from natural mineral licks or by consuming soil in areas where these elements are abundant.
While much of the doe’s water intake is satisfied by the moisture content in succulent plants and morning dew, a direct water source remains a fundamental requirement. Access to clean water is vital during the summer heat and during lactation, as water loss through milk production increases the risk of dehydration.