Liquid mineral/protein feeder pros and cons

[AZAggie]

I've been thinking of trying out a liquid, lick tank feeder for my herd. Can anyone with experience with them give me some pros and cons? The feed looks a little pricy, but I'm looking for something to help supplement my feed and get the cows in better condition.

A little background on my situation, I've got about 40 cows. The forage at my place is marginal, drought conditions for too many years here. My hay quality isn't the best. I'm working on it, but having to undo all of the unsuccessful things my Dad had been doing for the past 10 yrs. Time is an issue too as I'm working 50-60 hrs a week, so I need something that requires little upkeep.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Based on my experience with liquid feed and what others have told me, including many here.....

1) Very convenient. Which is worth something for sure.
2) Should help cows maintain condition and consume marginal or poor forages.
3) Cows are unlikely to gain weight from its use.
4) Relatively expensive.
5) Good way to catch them. Place feeder in lot and deny them access for a few days after they've had a taste and then open the gate and they will run you over to get in there.

 

[AZAggie]

Based on my experience with liquid feed and what others have told me, including many here.....

1) Very convenient. Which is worth something for sure.
2) Should help cows maintain condition and consume marginal or poor forages. 3) Cows are unlikely to gain weight from its use.
4) Relatively expensive.
5) Good way to catch them. Place feeder in lot and deny them access for a few days after they've had a taste and then open the gate and they will run you over to get in there.

Do you find it more effective than the tubs?

 

[Caustic Burno]

I've been thinking of trying out a liquid, lick tank feeder for my herd. Can anyone with experience with them give me some pros and cons? The feed looks a little pricy, but I'm looking for something to help supplement my feed and get the cows in better condition.

A little background on my situation, I've got about 40 cows. The forage at my place is marginal, drought conditions for too many years here. My hay quality isn't the best. I'm working on it, but having to undo all of the unsuccessful things my Dad had been doing for the past 10 yrs. Time is an issue too as I'm working 50-60 hrs a week, so I need something that requires little upkeep.

Tubs is absolutely the highest price protein.
Pencil wise liquid comes out cheaper at today's prices than 2-1-1 range meal.
1.50 a gallon at 35% protein weighs about 9 lbs to the gallon. My cows
average 3 lbs consumption a day.
I like them to get the cows to clean up the pasture before supplying hay.
Also like when I have poor quality hay.
Down side is it will build a fire in their bellies you have to have the forage or hay for them. So if your short on hay or forage I wouldn't use it. Their salt consumption goes up as well.
It will keep them in good BCS on poor forage.

 

[snoopdog]

Good quality hay is going to be your best dollar return imo.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Based on my experience with liquid feed and what others have told me, including many here.....

1) Very convenient. Which is worth something for sure.
2) Should help cows maintain condition and consume marginal or poor forages. 3) Cows are unlikely to gain weight from its use.
4) Relatively expensive.
5) Good way to catch them. Place feeder in lot and deny them access for a few days after they've had a taste and then open the gate and they will run you over to get in there.

Do you find it more effective than the tubs?

CB is spot on. I can't say more effective but definitely as good and somewhat cheaper. Tubs are the way too expensive for me. I do buy a handful every year for cows I have shut up or calves but not like I used to. They do have their place though.

 

[TexasBred]

Good quality hay is going to be your best dollar return imo.

If you have it which he doesn't. The liquid will work for him. Just won't be the cheapest thing available but convenient, cows will consume it and you don't have to feed everyday. Tubs cost like rip and I often question whether cattle get enough from a tub to justify using them at all as the new cooked tubs are such low consumption benefits from consuming that small amount are minimal at best.

 

[Ebenezer]

Mix 30 has bypass fat that helps more than cheap sugars.

 

[AZAggie]

Good quality hay is going to be your best dollar return imo.

If you have it which he doesn't. The liquid will work for him. Just won't be the cheapest thing available but convenient, cows will consume it and you don't have to feed everyday. Tubs cost like rip and I often question whether cattle get enough from a tub to justify using them at all as the new cooked tubs are such low consumption benefits from consuming that small amount are minimal at best.

Unfortunately my hay isn't where it needs to be. I've got 40 acres in haygrazer right now, that I can't get cut because of the rain. We've had 5 or 6 inches in the last few days. I can't get a window clear enough to get it cut and dried down right now. That field should have been cut and planted in something else already. I've got another 80 acres that just came out of CRP that I am planning on doing something with this spring. The ground is pretty poor right now, so I'm thinking of putting it in clover for a few years and cutting it for hay as well. I'll get a soil sample first and see what needs to be done. Like I said, I'm working on upgrading my hay program, but I'm still dealing with my Dad's poor decisions over the last 10 yrs. He's pretty much out of the decision making process now (recovering from a stroke and heart attack), so I'm free to do what I think is necessary and best.

 

[5S Cattle]

I tried it, couldn't afford it. They drank it like there was a hole in the bottom

 

[Air gator]

What about Dried Distillers Grain? It's high in fat and protein.
You can't give it to them free choice because of the sulfur.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I tried it, couldn't afford it. They drank it like there was a hole in the bottom

Mine never checked up on Mix 30 bought one tank. The old CLS formula they consume about 1/3 gallon a day roughly three pounds.

 

[TexasBred]

Mix 30 is more of an energy supplement than a protein supplement. A little bit of 16% protein doesn't do a lot when it's combined with 6-7% hay.

 

[AZAggie]

Got my feeder set up this morning. It sure didn't take them long to figure it out. I put it about 100 yrds away from water and hay, so they will have to go to it to get any. I was back down later in the day and they were all in the pasture grazing, so I thought that was a good sign.

 

[Caustic Burno]

It has mine fat and slick going into winter cleaning up pasture.