Feeding Milk Cow's

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Hereford2

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Hi, we have been feeding our milk cows 16% dairy feed for years,, but due to the High corn prices, from the feed mill it's almost $21 a hundred, it used to be $15 a hundred, so I'm wondering what I can use for an alternative feed source for them, I did find a feed that's 18% protein that is a 3 way mix of Brewer's Grain, Corn Gluten Pellets, and I think it's soybean meal for the 3rd ingredient. It's 12.50 a hundred,. Would this be ok to feed milk cow's? Or should I keep looking?
 
Split off a few cows and try it. What have you to lose? I feed Gluten pellets to feeder calves (maybe not the exact mix as yours.
They were OK this morning.
 
Ok, I have used this mix with success for my bottle calves, just thought I'd get people's opinions about using it for milk cow's.
 
By milk cows are you talking in a dairy or for your own use cows? Either way I would find something cheaper. I'm getting a 16% without gluten for 11.50 per hundred
 
My own personal milk cow's. I have called All of the feed stores and feed Mills within a 45 minute drive 1 way, and the stuff with gluten in it is the cheapest I have found, besides the $21 a hundred feed that I am currently using.
 
There is, but I don't know enough about feed, to know what to have them mix for milk cow's.
 
A good dairy cow ration is not just protein.... or just 3 ingredients. It has a balanced mineral "pack" that will provide the micro essentials that will keep a dairy cow's body in balance. If you are feeding for more production than she will make on just hay and pasture, then you have got to balance her ration or you will wind up with breeding problems, or ketosis or displaced abomasum's or any of a dozen other things that can get thrown out of whack.
Gluten is cheaper for a reason. It is a byproduct. And in one thread discussed on CT there are several comments about the taste that the gluten gives to the meat. I think that there might be the same effect in the milk?
Feed some high quality alfalfa hay and cut the grain a little bit.
 

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