Any good feed mixes?

[LRAF]

Anyone care to share what they feed? What the mix is possibly? Interested in mixing some myself

 

[DLD]

Our base one ton mix;
800# crimped corn
400# crimped oats
400# cottonseed hulls
200# soy hull pellets
80# cottonseed meal
120# molasses

I believe that comes out to 12 - 12.5% protein. I had the other particulars calculated, too. I'll see if I can find them. We always add about 1/4 cup per head per day of Fast Forward 1 show mineral.

As I said that's the base - we may add corn, cottonseed hulls, Fast Fat or beet pulp as needed.

 

[Bigfoot]

I use thes 2 a lot:
1/3 soy hull pellets. 1/3 ddg. 1/3 cracked corn

1/2 ddg, and half corn-------We mix this one at home in a trough with a shovel, I buy the other in bulk, and have it delivered.

 

[Bigfoot]

I'm sorry, I just noticed this was the show board. Scratch my response. I use it to push calves I'm backgrounding.

 

[TexasBred]

Our base one ton mix;
800# crimped corn
400# crimped oats
400# cottonseed hulls
200# soy hull pellets
80# cottonseed meal
120# molasses

I believe that comes out to 12 - 12.5% protein. I had the other particulars calculated, too. I'll see if I can find them. We always add about 1/4 cup per head per day of Fast Forward 1 show mineral.

As I said that's the base - we may add corn, cottonseed hulls, Fast Fat or beet pulp as needed.

Can't see why you would ever need to add corn, hulls or beet pulp. Pretty loaded up on all of those now. I'm sure you have a reason for the crimped corn and oats but just plain oats and chopped corn would work just as well for quite a bit less money.

 

[VCC]

This is one I've seen used a lot for show calves.

1200 lbs. cracked corn
400 lbs. cotton seed hulls
200 lbs. whole oats
100 lbs. soy bean meal
100 lbs. molasses

I top dress each calf 1 oz. per feeding ADM/Alliance chlortetracycline medicated mineral. The mineral additive is not optional. No ration will work without a quality mineral program. On the occasional need for a fat additive, I use ADM's Healthy Glo. This is a 100% stablized rice bran developed for Race Horses. 1 pound per head per day. It will increase muscle, hair & quality of hair coat.

 

[DLD]

TexasBred, sometimes an individual steer may need a little more finish in a hurry, thus the corn or Fast Fat (or sometimes just corn oil). And we often add more hulls or beet pulp for our heifers to keep them from getting too fat, or for heifers or steers that need a little extra fill. Maybe we mess with it too much, but like I said the above ration is just a base, we tweak on it often for each individual throughout the season. Right now we're only feeding 500-650 lb steers, and they're just getting the base ration, but when we start putting them under the fans and they're caught and tied everyday, they'll be fed individually and then we'll start adjusting rations to push some and slow down others.

As far as the crimping goes, you may well be right. I grew up with the idea that it increased digestibility, and I just can't shake it. I know I've seen research to the contrary since then, and I can see it being true, but old habits die hard. You can look at every sacked show feed ration there is and I've yet to see one that uses plain whole corn, maybe oats - I know that doesn't necessarily make it right, but I guess it helps keep me stuck on it. Our co-op doesn't have a steam crimper, so what we end up is more like cracked anyway. But they don't charge too awful much for it either.

VCC, I've seen that ration (or very similar) used successfully. It seems like it'd be a little hotter than ours, and should be a little cheaper too. I may have to try it. I do agree 100% on the mineral being an absolute must.

 

[LRAF]

VCC is there a reason to use the cracked corn and not whole? We had a ration mixed at one time and a switched to cracked corn from while and the heifers stopped eating it as good. Just curious

 

[VCC]

Most show feeds now seem to come in cracked corn, may be cost or availability. Are calves start on it so they do not seem to have a problem with it.

 

[TexasBred]

TexasBred, sometimes an individual steer may need a little more finish in a hurry, thus the corn or Fast Fat (or sometimes just corn oil). And we often add more hulls or beet pulp for our heifers to keep them from getting too fat, or for heifers or steers that need a little extra fill. Maybe we mess with it too much, but like I said the above ration is just a base, we tweak on it often for each individual throughout the season. Right now we're only feeding 500-650 lb steers, and they're just getting the base ration, but when we start putting them under the fans and they're caught and tied everyday, they'll be fed individually and then we'll start adjusting rations to push some and slow down others.

As far as the crimping goes, you may well be right. I grew up with the idea that it increased digestibility, and I just can't shake it. I know I've seen research to the contrary since then, and I can see it being true, but old habits die hard. You can look at every sacked show feed ration there is and I've yet to see one that uses plain whole corn, maybe oats - I know that doesn't necessarily make it right, but I guess it helps keep me stuck on it. Our co-op doesn't have a steam crimper, so what we end up is more like cracked anyway. But they don't charge too awful much for it either.

VCC, I've seen that ration (or very similar) used successfully. It seems like it'd be a little hotter than ours, and should be a little cheaper too. I may have to try it. I do agree 100% on the mineral being an absolute must.

NO need to change something like you like and is working. Many use cracked corn down here (not whole corn) as opposed to the steam rolled or flaked corn. The high moisture in the corn and oats often gives the feed a short shelf life.

 

[TexasBred]

This is one I've seen used a lot for show calves.

1200 lbs. cracked corn
400 lbs. cotton seed hulls
200 lbs. whole oats
100 lbs. soy bean meal
100 lbs. molasses

I top dress each calf 1 oz. per feeding ADM/Alliance chlortetracycline medicated mineral. The mineral additive is not optional. No ration will work without a quality mineral program. On the occasional need for a fat additive, I use ADM's Healthy Glo. This is a 100% stablized rice bran developed for Race Horses. 1 pound per head per day. It will increase muscle, hair & quality of hair coat.

VCC that looks a lot like most of the finisher rations down here but has a bit more CS hulls in it.