Lick tubs

[farmwife]

Do you have to feed the Mix 30 free choice?

Or could I put it out in limited amounts daily (I know that I would have to have enough trough space for all of them to get there share)?

I don't guess you do but it works well for us.

It doesn't take a large tub at all. Once they get use to it, each cow will stop off and get their share and move on. I'm afraid if you control feed they will stand there and eat it all at once, which kinda defeats the purpose.

 

[farmwife]

Thanks for all the replies folks. I'm doing some checking on the availability of Mix 30 and the cost differences that Texan spoke of. Some day it WILL rain, I'm sure. Hopefully before too long, but in the mean time, the dry grass will have to do. We probably have a few more days before there is absolutely no green left in the grass. We will make our decision by then. As of now, most of the fall calvers are falling into the BCS range of 6-7.5, and the cows with calves are anywhere between a 4.5 and 6. So the cows aren't being affected too badly yet. But I know it is easier to keep them in shape than to let them get dragged way down and try to build them back up.

It seems as though the Mix 30 might be the best option as far as herd health goes, but it is also the least feasible, as we don't have th setup to feed all 80 cows out of a trough or tub. We have never had the need to feed the mature cows grains or anything besides cubes, and we'd just as soon not start.

The cubes seem to be the most feasible and they will assure us that each of the cows are getting at least some protein.

The tubs will work, but seem to be less cost affective and provide less coverage as far as verifying that all of the cows are getting some. Time is cheap for us. Knowing that all the cows are coming up for cubes every other day or so gives us a warm fuzzy feeling more than just assuming that the cows are all making it to the tub.

Keep the replies coming, I'm always open to new ideas.

I would suggest going to the farm supply and purchasing as many small tanks as you need or talking to the Mix 30 supplier about getting some lick wheel tanks -- our supplier gives ours to us free as long as we buy from him.

 

[feelnrite]

Why not feed soy pellets? They can be fed on the ground in dry conditions and the cows will clean them up well. They are cheap and go a long way on a cow.

 

[Michelle Pankonien]

OK, this is for the folks who have more than a hundful of cattle

Tub supplements provide a non-protein source of Nitrogen which the rumen microbes can convert into protein digestible by the rumenant

I am in central Texas and have seen several years of drought where only poor quality forage is available, the supplements will help the cattle consume the poor quality stockpiled forrage or poor quality grass hay, it can be economical depending on the opperation, and the perpose of supplementation

We had a huge stockpile of forage, with spoiled cattle who wanted to be picky, we fed the liquid feed, it forced them to consume the dry grass with good digestion and performance in terms of weight gain and lactation

I only use it on an as needed basis, the company I purchase my liquid feed from provides the feeders at no charge, base feeder size on number of head to be supplemented, they deliver as need requires, I would talk to a nutritionist and cost compare wether a non-protein nitrogen liquid feed or the natural protein type liquid feed that utilizes nutural protein sources in a molassass base

Good luck, hope that helps

 

[farmwife]

Why not feed soy pellets? They can be fed on the ground in dry conditions and the cows will clean them up well. They are cheap and go a long way on a cow.

Cause you have to feed by hand each time -- I only have to put out liquid feed 3 times per year -- it's a labor thing.

 

[farmwife]

OK, this is for the folks who have more than a hundful of cattle

Tub supplements provide a non-protein source of Nitrogen which the rumen microbes can convert into protein digestible by the rumenant

I am in central Texas and have seen several years of drought where only poor quality forage is available, the supplements will help the cattle consume the poor quality stockpiled forrage or poor quality grass hay, it can be economical depending on the opperation, and the perpose of supplementation

We had a huge stockpile of forage, with spoiled cattle who wanted to be picky, we fed the liquid feed, it forced them to consume the dry grass with good digestion and performance in terms of weight gain and lactation

I only use it on an as needed basis, the company I purchase my liquid feed from provides the feeders at no charge, base feeder size on number of head to be supplemented, they deliver as need requires, I would talk to a nutritionist and cost compare wether a non-protein nitrogen liquid feed or the natural protein type liquid feed that utilizes nutural protein sources in a molassass base

Good luck, hope that helps

Mix 30 in a natural protein source without the use of molasses.

 

[dun]

A neigbor is mixing it in his ration that he hand feeds. If you're going to hand feed, why not use corn gluten pellets, high protein (22%), and around here very reasonabily priced. But I still prefer the Mix30 fed free choice. We get it a tone at a timne and just set out a couple of 150 gallon water tanks, cows will generally use them both at about the same rate.

dun

 

[Michelle Pankonien]

Hello

the only financial reason to utilize liquid feed or protein tubs is to increase the cost efficiency of maintaining your cow herd on available resources

Feed your pet cow what ever you want, if you enjoy it and it makes you happy who cares what anyone else thinks, I was trying to bring up the point of which method was most cost effective

Some friends of mine run over 500 head, they also use the lick tubs because they buy by the truck load so that is the most cost effective for them, everybody had different needs

Find the best solution for your farm given available resources and finances

 

[dcara]

I started using an economy 2:1 range meal recently. 20% protien, 8% fat. They seem to be eating about 2lbs/day/hd. I don't know for certain but I thought the salt might help with the heat stress and water retention also. Does anyone have any thoughts on that part of it.

I know salt toxicity can be an issue. One of my neighbors lost a cow last year due to feeding range meal in a forage limited situation. Mine have plenty of dried up grass and access to water so I'm not worried about that aspect of it. I've been watching the cow pies and they look just about right from a protien standpoint.

 

[stocky]

For me, it is feed the liquid feed supplement. You can go broke trying to feed tubs. I use the liquid each winter but am getting ready to fill the lick tanks next week if we dont get any rain.

 

[Texan]

I started using an economy 2:1 range meal recently. 20% protien, 8% fat. They seem to be eating about 2lbs/day/hd. I don't know for certain but I thought the salt might help with the heat stress and water retention also. Does anyone have any thoughts on that part of it.

I know salt toxicity can be an issue. One of my neighbors lost a cow last year due to feeding range meal in a forage limited situation. Mine have plenty of dried up grass and access to water so I'm not worried about that aspect of it. I've been watching the cow pies and they look just about right from a protien standpoint.

Doug, I'm using a 3/1 csm/salt now because it's just a few cents higher than the 2/1 and it's 30% protein. I've never had any problems with it, but I only use it when I have enough dry roughage to provide energy, either dormant grass or hay. I've never seen any studies, but I've always felt that the added water intake probably helps them digest the rougher forage better.

Consumption on mine is probably close to the two pounds that you're talking about, but part of the reason that mine is a little low is because I'm having to mix a mineral with it. That's one of the drawbacks of making them consume that much salt, it cuts down on mineral consumption, so I just blend in the proper amount of minerals.

I really like to fill them up with hay or something before putting it out the first time so that they're not really hungry when they first have access to it. Once you start using it, if you keep it in front of them all the time, the gorging is no longer a problem, in my experience.

I know there's a lot of people on these boards that claim it's too much salt and that can't understand making a cow consume that much salt. We've had those arguments here before. But meal and salt is a time-tested method of self feeding protein supplement to cows in the south. Thirty or 40 years that I personally know of. CausticB and MikeC have probably been using it much, much longer than that.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I am still using a 2/1 mix in hard times. It has been around as long as I can remember. If the grass is good they will nibble at it, as the quality of forage goes down they chow down.
I have always thought it stretched the poor quality forage a lot further, while keeping body condition. They will hit the 2/1 then the pond and under a tree to chew there cud. They are not running off pounds to fill there belly.

 

[Tod Dague]

OK, this is for the folks who have more than a hundful of cattle

Tub supplements provide a non-protein source of Nitrogen which the rumen microbes can convert into protein digestible by the rumenant

I am in central Texas and have seen several years of drought where only poor quality forage is available, the supplements will help the cattle consume the poor quality stockpiled forrage or poor quality grass hay, it can be economical depending on the opperation, and the perpose of supplementation

We had a huge stockpile of forage, with spoiled cattle who wanted to be picky, we fed the liquid feed, it forced them to consume the dry grass with good digestion and performance in terms of weight gain and lactation

I only use it on an as needed basis, the company I purchase my liquid feed from provides the feeders at no charge, base feeder size on number of head to be supplemented, they deliver as need requires, I would talk to a nutritionist and cost compare wether a non-protein nitrogen liquid feed or the natural protein type liquid feed that utilizes nutural protein sources in a molassass base

Good luck, hope that helps

Mix 30 in a natural protein source without the use of molasses.

When I called last year they were using non protein nitrogen in the mix but it wasn't urea. Have they changed to natural?