Anyone used Roughage Buster Mineral?

[ValleyView]

Anybody have experience feeding this stuff? Wanting to mob graze some less desirable pasture and I had never heard of it until today, but may give it a try. Thanks in advance!

 

[Allenw]

I've used it a couple of winters. I'm in the middle of the road about it. I like the idea of it being there and the cattle aren't waiting for a daily hand out. I've also fed the small protein blocks I liked them better but had problems with them being ate too fast. I need the harder block but would have had to take a ton to get them. I'm seriously considering trying the blocks again and putting them out further from water.

 

[cjmc]

I've always been a fan of the protein+mineral products companies make. I think they are as convenient as tubs but typically cheaper/hd/d.

 

[ValleyView]

I've used it a couple of winters. I'm in the middle of the road about it. I like the idea of it being there and the cattle aren't waiting for a daily hand out. I've also fed the small protein blocks I liked them better but had problems with them being ate too fast. I need the harder block but would have had to take a ton to get them. I'm seriously considering trying the blocks again and putting them out further from water.

What was it you were trying to get them to eat by using it? I have a lot of Sericea Lespedeza infested hay and pasture i'd like to try and make them eat. I had seen there was a study done where Corn Steep Liquor can help un-bind the proteins and in turn lead to more consumption of infested hay.

 

[Allenw]

Dormant native grass and low protein hay was what they were on, I was feeding the 80% product if I remember correctly. I never could get the consumption level up to where I thought it should be, cows were always a little thinner then I would have liked.

 

[ValleyView]

Dormant native grass and low protein hay was what they were on, I was feeding the 80% product if I remember correctly. I never could get the consumption level up to where I thought it should be, cows were always a little thinner then I would have liked.

Hmm. That's pretty much the set up I would have them on for part of the winter other than the days grazing wheat (if it comes up). This is probably impossible to answer, but I wonder if your results would've been better with the higher concentrate percentage? I suspect you wouldn't try this again, or would you?

 

[Allenw]

The higher the percentage the less palatable it is I believe. The jury is still out on doing it again. They seem to need more room to consume it then they're regular amount of space for mineral.

If you can get enough wheat pasture for a couple of days grazing a week that would take care of your protein needs for dry cows.