cottonseed

[bigbull338]

i just priced some cottonseed meal at $11/50lb.but i am afraide itll make my bull a non breeder.ive heard all my life it can mess a bull up.

 

[Cross-7]

Based on memory and not googling the studies
There supposedly is an oil ( can't remember what it's called )
in the seed that can temporarily cause a bull to be sterile and affect the development of growing Bulls.
I've feed lots of fuzzy cotton seed and feed lots of cotton seed hulls dressed with mill and haven't had an issue
I mostly feed a couple pounds of fuzzy seed per head and never fed a lot, so that may be why I've never had s problem.
In cotton country it's fed a lot so I feel like if it was a real issue people wouldn't continue to feed it

But ive read the studies claiming it is a problem

 

[jedstivers]

It can in a high enough ration. A few pounds won't hurt. Do a google search on it. Tons of stuff out there.

Here's one search.
https://www.google.com/search?q=feeding ... ent=safari

 

[JMJ Farms]

I feed whole cottonseed. Costs me 0.12 per pound. If that's an option for you it is a very good supplement for hay. I usually feed around 5 pounds per head per day (1200 pound cows). Other than be labor intensive it's a good option. I'm sure the meal is also but if you can find it here it's expensive so I have no experience with meal.

 

[TexasBred]

I feed whole cottonseed. Costs me 0.12 per pound. If that's an option for you it is a very good supplement for hay. I usually feed around 5 pounds per head per day (1200 pound cows). Other than be labor intensive it's a good option. I'm sure the meal is also but if you can find it here it's expensive so I have no experience with meal.

All you get with the meal is the 41% protein. Whole cottonseed also have about 22-24% crude fat which kicks the energy through the roof and then the hull adds roughage to the diet. Just my opinion but don't think anybody can make a feed as good as whole cottonseed. Unfortunately you can only safely feed low amounts. A couple pounds a day shouldn't hurt your bull and I wouldn't worry at all about feeding cottonseed meal or cottonseed hulls. Very little gossypol left in them. The sterility in bulls is temporary and 30-45 days off the seed they'll be fine again.

 

[jedstivers]

Even in the summer if you have great grass a pound or two a day really kicks milk production up and makes the calves shine.

 

[bigbull338]

well we went and bought a few sacks of soybean meal and salt.the soybean meal is 41% protine or a tad better.so we are going to mix 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 sacks of salt.

 

[TexasBred]

well we went and bought a few sacks of soybean meal and salt.the soybean meal is 41% protine or a tad better.so we are going to mix 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 sacks of salt.

Should be either 44% (diluted with soyhulls) or 47.5%. I'd have gone ahead and bought the soybean meal. Don't expect much consumption using that much salt and almost no energy.

 

[bigbull338]

TB thats the kicker our cows love salt.plus we keep it out free choice.it takes them 2 or 3 days to eat 300lbs of the 2 meal 1 salt.we also changed tubs.now we are feeding a 24% baked tub.the cows have yet to finish the 1st tub.but the weather has been great.

 

[TexasBred]

TB thats the kicker our cows love salt.plus we keep it out free choice.it takes them 2 or 3 days to eat 300lbs of the 2 meal 1 salt.we also changed tubs.now we are feeding a 24% baked tub.the cows have yet to finish the 1st tub.but the weather has been great.

They must have been starving for salt. Surely consumption will back off. That's just very strange.

 

[bigbull338]

i dont know as theyve had the best salt and minerals for the last 3 or 4yrs.we always put out like 6 salt blocks and 100lbs loose mineral at a time.

 

[TexasBred]

i dont know as theyve had the best salt and minerals for the last 3 or 4yrs.we always put out like 6 salt blocks and 100lbs loose mineral at a time.

For how many head?? Just sounds like a world of salt even if it is mixed with protein.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Feeding salt limits mineral intake. My cows prefer plain salt over minerals. So they don't get salt or salt blocks anymore. Just minerals.

 

[TexasBred]

Feeding salt limits mineral intake. My cows prefer plain salt over minerals. So they don't get salt or salt blocks anymore. Just minerals.

And over consume mineral to get the salt they want??? I just put both out and let them choose but never a block. Always loose salt.

 

[jedstivers]

I had not been putting salt because they sometimes won't get enough mineral because some brands taste like sh!t.
I changed to ADM and the rep told me to put loose salt right beside the mineral, said they like the mineral enough to get what they need and get salt from the salt.

 

[bigbull338]

i will buy mineral blocks because to me theres more filler in them than minerals.so we only buy the best loose mineral we can get.

 

[TexasBred]

i will buy mineral blocks because to me theres more filler in them than minerals.so we only buy the best loose mineral we can get.

Trace mineral blocks? The "filler" you refer to is SALT...about 99% sodium chloride. Doesn't leave much for any real mineral.

 

[bigbull338]

i will buy mineral blocks because to me theres more filler in them than minerals.so we only buy the best loose mineral we can get.

Trace mineral blocks? The "filler" you refer to is SALT...about 99% sodium chloride. Doesn't leave much for any real mineral.

i made a bad typo.i WILL NOT buy mineral blocks because they have all the fillers in them and very little mineral.