Michelle Pankonien
Well-known member
Here is a trick I picked up from the dairy industry
Increasing protein and available energy in rations can be accomplished by adding soy bean oil to any ration
By increasing the available energy as well as protein you can meet daily energy requirements while reducing the volume of feed fed.
We buy bulk grain and store it in grain cylo's (SP), we have two like new cylo's we got from a guy who was moving a poultry opperation and wanted to sell them, so his loss my gain
We have two 15 ton grain bin, which we added augers to, thus we can buy feed from the co-op at a considerablew savings, especialy in winter buy forward contracting 30-40 tons
Well anyway, I use a common 14% calf creep pellet, and add 3% total volume as fat added as Soy bean oil, total ration is 16% protein, 8% fat
There is no salt limiter in the ration, I feed a free choice loose mineral, and I control feed the calves in a creep feeder, by only offering 1-2 #'s per head per day to calves on first and second calf heifers
The cows 2-3 years old get 4-6 #'s per head per day, until weaning, at which time they go out with the mature cow herd which only gets grass and free choice mineral
This method helps the groving females in production, raise their calves and continue their own development.
Protein when fed to a lactating female goes to the calf only, by providing the female with a fat source, the fat is utilized by the cow for her energy needs and does not leave in the milk to the calf.
Thus I am killing two birds with one stone, I also use this ration for my bulls and developing replacemement heifers, and in winter when I suplament my horses
So if you have the ability to get a grain bin and utilize this method, I highly recommend it, I save about $1600. in overall anual feed costs, and the additional cost of the oil is covered by that with some left over
Increasing protein and available energy in rations can be accomplished by adding soy bean oil to any ration
By increasing the available energy as well as protein you can meet daily energy requirements while reducing the volume of feed fed.
We buy bulk grain and store it in grain cylo's (SP), we have two like new cylo's we got from a guy who was moving a poultry opperation and wanted to sell them, so his loss my gain
We have two 15 ton grain bin, which we added augers to, thus we can buy feed from the co-op at a considerablew savings, especialy in winter buy forward contracting 30-40 tons
Well anyway, I use a common 14% calf creep pellet, and add 3% total volume as fat added as Soy bean oil, total ration is 16% protein, 8% fat
There is no salt limiter in the ration, I feed a free choice loose mineral, and I control feed the calves in a creep feeder, by only offering 1-2 #'s per head per day to calves on first and second calf heifers
The cows 2-3 years old get 4-6 #'s per head per day, until weaning, at which time they go out with the mature cow herd which only gets grass and free choice mineral
This method helps the groving females in production, raise their calves and continue their own development.
Protein when fed to a lactating female goes to the calf only, by providing the female with a fat source, the fat is utilized by the cow for her energy needs and does not leave in the milk to the calf.
Thus I am killing two birds with one stone, I also use this ration for my bulls and developing replacemement heifers, and in winter when I suplament my horses
So if you have the ability to get a grain bin and utilize this method, I highly recommend it, I save about $1600. in overall anual feed costs, and the additional cost of the oil is covered by that with some left over
