bull test feed
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cattle_gal
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About every bull test has a different ration. Some higher roughage, some not. Depends on how you want the bull to grow. Moderate growth ready to go to work, to heavy for the yearling weight. Some feed to much barley = feet that blow out. Some use a feed companies pellets/cake and bull growers formula. Some use silage and hay.
I haven't heard much good from one of the big feed companies products. To much fines. In fact I won't buy their products (mineral or cake) for my cows. It maybe cheep but it isn't worth beans.
Best would be to look up all the feed companies in your area and have them give you a guaranteed ingredients sheet. Make sure to not have any fines.
I haven't heard much good from one of the big feed companies products. To much fines. In fact I won't buy their products (mineral or cake) for my cows. It maybe cheep but it isn't worth beans.
Best would be to look up all the feed companies in your area and have them give you a guaranteed ingredients sheet. Make sure to not have any fines.
cattle_gal":g71hk7j7 said:
Unfortunately it's a fact of life that unless whole grains/seed is used there will alwasy be some fines. Pelleted feeds break and crumble. Our main problem with fines is the blowing in the wind. I used to really be a pain in the butt about fines but I've found that in a lot of ways they're helpfull. They keep the cattle standing around the feeders for longer periods of time. If I fed straight on the ground I'ld probably go to whole corn.
dun
MR3
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cattle_gal":1jez6tpf said:
I am just learning here, and the fact that I just purchased six ton of ground barley. So I thought I would ask what is meant by barley causing there feet to blow out. Are you referring to a rapid hoof growth or possibly founder. Thanks
Rod
cattle_gal
Well-known member
MR3,
Yes when feed to high of barley the feet do not hold up. When it comes to breeding time and traveling their feet will not hold up ,soft, not sturdy to rapid of growth during devlopement. I know of a few people that will not buy bulls that were grown with barley in the ration after going though the bad expereinces. I do not know the amount of barley it takes to have these effects though. Some barley won't hurt. But correlate with the rest of the feed.
Dun,
Nah I don't want to pay for a filler. I use the cake and pelets for my main sourse of protein and energy. Especially during the cold cold times, where a cow can eat all day long on hay and not get her body any warmer. So I make sure my cake is from the whole grain not the sweepings off the floor after the other product was made. I've even done the "fine" test. take a pellet/cake and put it in a cup of water and let it soak. If it sinks then were good, if the stuff floats with shellings not good. So far so good. Corn isn't to bad to feed on the ground - especially on packed snow(but I don't supose you have much of that white stuff). On dirt it isn't so good if the dirt should get loose.
Yes when feed to high of barley the feet do not hold up. When it comes to breeding time and traveling their feet will not hold up ,soft, not sturdy to rapid of growth during devlopement. I know of a few people that will not buy bulls that were grown with barley in the ration after going though the bad expereinces. I do not know the amount of barley it takes to have these effects though. Some barley won't hurt. But correlate with the rest of the feed.
Dun,
Nah I don't want to pay for a filler. I use the cake and pelets for my main sourse of protein and energy. Especially during the cold cold times, where a cow can eat all day long on hay and not get her body any warmer. So I make sure my cake is from the whole grain not the sweepings off the floor after the other product was made. I've even done the "fine" test. take a pellet/cake and put it in a cup of water and let it soak. If it sinks then were good, if the stuff floats with shellings not good. So far so good. Corn isn't to bad to feed on the ground - especially on packed snow(but I don't supose you have much of that white stuff). On dirt it isn't so good if the dirt should get loose.
We get more snow than I would like. Once every 15-20 years is plenty as far as I'm concerned. But we'll get a couple of snows a year and normally(?) it melts within a few days or a week. Then it's mud time
dun
dun
cattle_gal
Well-known member
Once every 15 years :shock: 
I'd die if I didn't have snow. :lol: I'll take snow anytime than those big bugs, snakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, to hot weather (anything over 85 and I melt, 70 -75 is just right), and humidity. Oh but we do have the gumbo mud. That's always interesting driving in - or attempting too.
I'd die if I didn't have snow. :lol: I'll take snow anytime than those big bugs, snakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, to hot weather (anything over 85 and I melt, 70 -75 is just right), and humidity. Oh but we do have the gumbo mud. That's always interesting driving in - or attempting too.
