Feed tests

[canadianfarmboy]

Does anyone know if there is a test , or some place to send feed samples to make sure its safe for animal consumption . Ie toxins in the barley . I had a nice group of steers been feeding for a while , growing good , looking good but the past few weeks looks like they are going the other way . Sides seem to be coming in like not enough water , but there are drinking lots of fresh water so i ruled that out . Maybe bad load of barley? They are getting corn/barley/soybean meal combination . Any help would be great .
thanks

 

[Aaron]

A neighbour sends his to a feed analysis lab in Minneapolis, MN. Can't remember the name of it right now. His steers were going off his screening pellet ration and the test came back positive for vomitoxin. The feed plant sent him a new load for free. :cowboy:

 

[KNERSIE]

What does the manure look and smell like? Have the pH of the manure tested, in the meanwhile add lime to the mix at 10 lbs per ton until you get the results of the fedtest and the pH tests.

 

[TexasBred]

Does anyone know if there is a test , or some place to send feed samples to make sure its safe for animal consumption . Ie toxins in the barley . I had a nice group of steers been feeding for a while , growing good , looking good but the past few weeks looks like they are going the other way . Sides seem to be coming in like not enough water , but there are drinking lots of fresh water so i ruled that out . Maybe bad load of barley? They are getting corn/barley/soybean meal combination . Any help would be great .
thanks

What about roughage?? No hay, no grazing? Nothing but this grain mix?? Acidosis perhaps?? Most toxins in grains can be fed at relatively high rates before they become "toxic".

 

[dcara]

If you bring them up on feed to fast, or don't keep enough hay out for them during feed bring up it can take anywhere from a few days to a month or more before they go off feed from Acidosis. I think I remember seeing one go off feed from acidosis after about 6 weeks.

 

[TexasBred]

If you bring them up on feed to fast, or don't keep enough hay out for them during feed bring up it can take anywhere from a few days to a month or more before they go off feed from Acidosis. I think I remember seeing one go off feed from acidosis after about 6 weeks.

Acidosis can be almost instant after slug feeding especially if no long stem roughage is made available in the diet.....it does often take a little longer to go completely off feed. Mix 4-6 ounces of sodium bicarbonate in the grain ration every day and by all means make some roughage available at all times.

 

[canadianfarmboy]

Sent a few feed samples away today , hoping to get the tests back soon . As far as roughage cattle have been on free choice hay all winter long . Never go a day without hay in front of them . Just seems as though the cattle look gant , and alot smoother looking that i like to see . DOnt mind my cattle having a bit of ruff coating up here in the cold . NOt sure whats up . Hope i will find out soon though .

 

[TexasBred]

Sent a few feed samples away today , hoping to get the tests back soon . As far as roughage cattle have been on free choice hay all winter long . Never go a day without hay in front of them . Just seems as though the cattle look gant , and alot smoother looking that i like to see . DOnt mind my cattle having a bit of ruff coating up here in the cold . NOt sure whats up . Hope i will find out soon though .

Good deal on the free choice hay. I didn't see you mention vitamins and minerals. Could have some deficiencies there as well.

 

[canadianfarmboy]

Cattle are on free choice vit -o -mit as well . Find it frustrating but thats part of raising cattle :cboy:

 

[canadianfarmboy]

Just got some feed tests back in the mail so i thought i would give an update and maybe someone got give some insight on my feed. I had a dry matter % of 86.1 with 13.0 % crude protein . On another tests the feed sample came back with 0.5 DON% (ppm) . THats the tests which i have no idea about . IS that good or bad . WHat is DON . THanks

 

[TexasBred]

Just got some feed tests back in the mail so i thought i would give an update and maybe someone got give some insight on my feed. I had a dry matter % of 86.1 with 13.0 % crude protein . On another tests the feed sample came back with 0.5 DON% (ppm) . THats the tests which i have no idea about . IS that good or bad . WHat is DON . THanks

Was it .5% or .5 ppm DON???

 

[canadianfarmboy]

Just got some feed tests back in the mail so i thought i would give an update and maybe someone got give some insight on my feed. I had a dry matter % of 86.1 with 13.0 % crude protein . On another tests the feed sample came back with 0.5 DON% (ppm) . THats the tests which i have no idea about . IS that good or bad . WHat is DON . THanks

Was it .5% or .5 ppm DON???

It was .5 ppm DON

 

[TexasBred]

Thats about as low as most testing can measure it....doesn't appear to be a real problem.

 

[novaman]

Just got some feed tests back in the mail so i thought i would give an update and maybe someone got give some insight on my feed. I had a dry matter % of 86.1 with 13.0 % crude protein . On another tests the feed sample came back with 0.5 DON% (ppm) . THats the tests which i have no idea about . IS that good or bad . WHat is DON . THanks

DON is also known as vomitoxin.

 

[Howdyjabo]

Is that All the information you got back?
Seems pretty skimpy and totally inconclusive

 

[TexasBred]

He was only wanting to know about possible mycotoxins in the grain.