Gary, I see where you are going with this. However, what a deer doesn't use is passed out of the body. Same applies to most other animals. There are other trace minerals used in each blend as well. Thus my use of an animal specific mineral.

Frio

I'm going to try the Ragland 12% when the blocks are in stock locally. I'll see how the deer take to it. I also use L&E minerals. Mass-o-Rack to be specific, but I'm also going to put out Ragland. L&E mineral content:

L&E make great products but I am betting that formula is for South Texas as it has 4% P.
Adios,
Gary

I’ve read too much copper is bad for the deer. I ran across a North American Whitetail article that said they could tolerate 200ppm, but wouldn’t recommend it. The label above lists 1400ppm of copper. Have you had any issues using it?

Copper is bad for Sheep. I need more selenium. So, I get blocks that have that. Most blocks are generic. I look for blocks that have what I need for where I am it.

I have never had an issue with copper and deer. But then I have never raised any sheep!! Several thousand goats - no problems there either. 270, I feel quite certain that L & E and Purena know exactly what they ae doing. More so than any of us us on this forum.

Frio

Thanks Frio. That’s what I was thinking. Just wanted to make sure I didn’t do anything stupid.

I've not had any issues. Google AI says:

Whitetail deer need 11–12 milligrams of copper per kilogram of dry matter in their diet. However, the optimal amount of copper for whitetail deer is unknown.

Why copper is important:
Copper helps deer form connective tissue
Copper helps deer's muscles, nerves, and immune system function
Copper deficiencies can lead to weakened hearts and blood vessels

Copper deficiency signs:
Dull, faded coats
Weak bones
Swayback
Increased susceptibility to diseases like yersiniosis and parasitism

I checked my two blocks on the river yesterday and the axis and deer are still pounding them. I think that there are more axis coming in after dark. I am seeing about 50 gentler ones but I am guessing that there is another population of wild ones. I agree that any unneeded minerals would be passed through the deer, but also know that 4% P in the Hill Country and Trans-Pecos is not high enough according to a Wildlife Biologist from the area. I have also seen improved antler growth from increased levels of P in this area.
We feed L&E protein on the ranch at Dilley for many years with very good results. I don't remember the P level but know it was not high in P.
Adios,
Gary

Gary as you are aware the South Texas Brush is very high in various minerals due in part to our soils. For that reason, proteins etc. for that area don't need to be.

Frio

Yes Sir, I was raised between Devine and Yancey and managed ranch in LaSalle County. Soils are definitely different in the Hill Country and out west. We sure don't have the great browse around here that we do down south. Were you raised around Frio Town?
Adios,
Gary

Thanks for the info and lead Gary. Let's see how they do on my place....

I think that the deer will really like them and getting the P that they need is so critical especially this time of the year and earlier. I checked on mine yesterday about 11:00 AM and noticed that the top of the blocks were wet, as they generally are. That tells me that they are getting a lot of traffic off and on during the day. I feel that consumption will be slowing down shortly but we may have to get a rain first. All the ranchers tell me that the cattle are really consuming a lot of mineral right now.
Adios,
Gary

This is the block that I have on the four acres that I have around the house on the west side of Menard. I know that I am feeding at least 20 whitetails and I am now seeing 5-6 axis does and fawns. I feel that I can safely say that I am feeding less than half of the mouths here than on the river. I didn't put it out when I did the others on the river, about a week later.
Notice how some of the critters are eating close to the ground. I first thought that it was some type of a rat or rodent but yesterday, I noticed the axis fawns feeding on the block at ground level. It has not rained on this block so this erosion cannot be blamed on the block melting from sitting on wet ground.
I am noticing that the top of this block is generally wet most everytime I check on it, similar to the two on the river.
Adios,
Gary

Woj,
Have you had a chance to check your blocks to see how deer are consuming?
Adios,
Gary

I will look at them this weekend and snap a couple pics. This weekend will mark the two week point.