looduskalender.ee

With the extra feeding Silvi and Peep have increased the herd of roe deer to 15 animals. No wonder, the menu is well varied: generally wheat is in camera view, the dark spots in the picture are oil rape, with weed seeds, and when it is thawing ensilage is spread on the snow heaps. The ensilage takes care of the water need of the deer that is particularly severe in the winter. Water is needed to keep the digestion in order, and the food “passing through”. Eating snow to cover the need of water robs the animals of too much energy.  In the forest young needles of conifers are rich in water, with a humidity content of about 60%, but feeding on those would damage young trees and is not very kindly regarded by forest owners. Deer damage to forests is insignificant, compared to that done by elks.