liquid protein worth the expense?

[TexasBred]

57 cents per lb of protein
vs
40 cents? per lb of protein from alfalfa hay.... closer to 55 cents accounting for moisture and waste
but we're talking different types of protein and hay provides other nutrients as well

I haven't checked lately, but I'd have to go a ways to find alfalfa hay down here Son of Butch. Either up around Weatherford or into Oklahoma, unless I wanted sq bales and no way am I ever going back to feed sq baled hay.
That's @ minimum a 6-7 hr round trip away.

Alfalfa can be had here for $150 a ton, so 7.5¢ per lb. Liquid feed and low quality hay are convenient, people will pay for convenience. Such as gas station food or a home cooked steak for the same price :lol2:

But you will have no idea what the protein level of it is as well as TDN, not to mention limit feeding it at 3-4 lbs. per day like you get with the liquid supplement. Most liquid supplements are also fortified with some level of vitamins and minerals. Personally I just put out a good blended fertilizer and have grass out the wazoo with a high level of protein as well. Volunteer rye is loosing value pretty quickly though but still lot of it there and they are wearing it out.

 

[RanchMan90]

I haven't checked lately, but I'd have to go a ways to find alfalfa hay down here Son of Butch. Either up around Weatherford or into Oklahoma, unless I wanted sq bales and no way am I ever going back to feed sq baled hay.
That's @ minimum a 6-7 hr round trip away.

Alfalfa can be had here for $150 a ton, so 7.5¢ per lb. Liquid feed and low quality hay are convenient, people will pay for convenience. Such as gas station food or a home cooked steak for the same price :lol2:

But you will have no idea what the protein level of it is as well as TDN, not to mention limit feeding it at 3-4 lbs. per day like you get with the liquid supplement. Most liquid supplements are also fortified with some level of vitamins and minerals. Personally I just put out a good blended fertilizer and have grass out the wazoo with a high level of protein as well. Volunteer rye is loosing value pretty quickly though but still lot of it there and they are wearing it out.

A simple hay test should determine protein level. How about an apples to apples comparison of real world numbers. 100 winter feeding days feeding 4 lbs of liquid feed or 10 lbs of alfalfa in conjunction with 20 lbs of roughage (hay or stockpiled grass). Liquid feed costs will be $200, alfalfa will cost $75 over the course of 100 days. The difference will be $125 per head, which is all a cow/calf producer will make this year anyway.

 

[callmefence]

Alfalfa can be had here for $150 a ton, so 7.5¢ per lb. Liquid feed and low quality hay are convenient, people will pay for convenience. Such as gas station food or a home cooked steak for the same price :lol2:

But you will have no idea what the protein level of it is as well as TDN, not to mention limit feeding it at 3-4 lbs. per day like you get with the liquid supplement. Most liquid supplements are also fortified with some level of vitamins and minerals. Personally I just put out a good blended fertilizer and have grass out the wazoo with a high level of protein as well. Volunteer rye is loosing value pretty quickly though but still lot of it there and they are wearing it out.

A simple hay test should determine protein level. How about an apples to apples comparison of real world numbers. 100 winter feeding days feeding 4 lbs of liquid feed or 10 lbs of alfalfa in conjunction with 20 lbs of roughage (hay or stockpiled grass). Liquid feed costs will be $200, alfalfa will cost $75 over the course of 100 days. The difference will be $125 per head, which is all a cow/calf producer will make this year anyway.

Nobody has said your alfalfa isn't better or cheaper protien.
With that said consumption on a good quality cooked tube will be about 1/2 to one pound per day. About half the protien in a 32 percent tube will be urea. Which has little to know nutritional value. You simply don't understand the concept of why feeding urea has its place. The cattle will eat and digest way more dry standing grass than normal. If you don't take it up when the grass is gone they might eat the dam fence. And yeah you can kick out a big tub for every 20 or so close the gate and go fishing for the week.

Good tubs right here , rock hard even in hot weather

http://www.pf4feed.com/productdetail.html?pid=pvm

 

[TexasBred]

Alfalfa can be had here for $150 a ton, so 7.5¢ per lb. Liquid feed and low quality hay are convenient, people will pay for convenience. Such as gas station food or a home cooked steak for the same price :lol2:

But you will have no idea what the protein level of it is as well as TDN, not to mention limit feeding it at 3-4 lbs. per day like you get with the liquid supplement. Most liquid supplements are also fortified with some level of vitamins and minerals. Personally I just put out a good blended fertilizer and have grass out the wazoo with a high level of protein as well. Volunteer rye is loosing value pretty quickly though but still lot of it there and they are wearing it out.

A simple hay test should determine protein level. How about an apples to apples comparison of real world numbers. 100 winter feeding days feeding 4 lbs of liquid feed or 10 lbs of alfalfa in conjunction with 20 lbs of roughage (hay or stockpiled grass). Liquid feed costs will be $200, alfalfa will cost $75 over the course of 100 days. The difference will be $125 per head, which is all a cow/calf producer will make this year anyway.

Apples to apples of real world numbers is that I'm not supplementing with anything and my cattle are gaining weight. How's that?? You're the one having to purchase supplemental feed.

 

[RanchMan90]

But you will have no idea what the protein level of it is as well as TDN, not to mention limit feeding it at 3-4 lbs. per day like you get with the liquid supplement. Most liquid supplements are also fortified with some level of vitamins and minerals. Personally I just put out a good blended fertilizer and have grass out the wazoo with a high level of protein as well. Volunteer rye is loosing value pretty quickly though but still lot of it there and they are wearing it out.

A simple hay test should determine protein level. How about an apples to apples comparison of real world numbers. 100 winter feeding days feeding 4 lbs of liquid feed or 10 lbs of alfalfa in conjunction with 20 lbs of roughage (hay or stockpiled grass). Liquid feed costs will be $200, alfalfa will cost $75 over the course of 100 days. The difference will be $125 per head, which is all a cow/calf producer will make this year anyway.

Apples to apples of real world numbers is that I'm not supplementing with anything and my cattle are gaining weight. How's that?? You're the one having to purchase supplemental feed.

I like buying feed lol. You have to feed your grass too (fertilizer). I like whatever is cheaper of the two. :2cents:

 

[TexasBred]

A simple hay test should determine protein level. How about an apples to apples comparison of real world numbers. 100 winter feeding days feeding 4 lbs of liquid feed or 10 lbs of alfalfa in conjunction with 20 lbs of roughage (hay or stockpiled grass). Liquid feed costs will be $200, alfalfa will cost $75 over the course of 100 days. The difference will be $125 per head, which is all a cow/calf producer will make this year anyway.

Apples to apples of real world numbers is that I'm not supplementing with anything and my cattle are gaining weight. How's that?? You're the one having to purchase supplemental feed.

I like buying feed lol. You have to feed your grass too (fertilizer). I like whatever is cheaper of the two. :2cents:

True...mine just produces much more food and lasts much longer and is really less expensive considering the results.

 

[1982vett]

A simple hay test should determine protein level. How about an apples to apples comparison of real world numbers. 100 winter feeding days feeding 4 lbs of liquid feed or 10 lbs of alfalfa in conjunction with 20 lbs of roughage (hay or stockpiled grass). Liquid feed costs will be $200, alfalfa will cost $75 over the course of 100 days. The difference will be $125 per head, which is all a cow/calf producer will make this year anyway.

Apples to apples of real world numbers is that I'm not supplementing with anything and my cattle are gaining weight. How's that?? You're the one having to purchase supplemental feed.

I like buying feed lol. You have to feed your grass too (fertilizer). I like whatever is cheaper of the two. :2cents:

Not sure that is a true statement......

 

[RanchMan90]

Apples to apples of real world numbers is that I'm not supplementing with anything and my cattle are gaining weight. How's that?? You're the one having to purchase supplemental feed.

I like buying feed lol. You have to feed your grass too (fertilizer). I like whatever is cheaper of the two. :2cents:

True...mine just produces much more food and lasts much longer and is really less expensive considering the results.

That's awesome. No till rye?

 

[RanchMan90]

Apples to apples of real world numbers is that I'm not supplementing with anything and my cattle are gaining weight. How's that?? You're the one having to purchase supplemental feed.

I like buying feed lol. You have to feed your grass too (fertilizer). I like whatever is cheaper of the two. :2cents:

Not sure that is a true statement......

How do you do it?

 

[1982vett]

Stopped overstocking and over grazing.

Millions of range land doesn't get commercial fertilization.

 

[RanchMan90]

Stopped overstocking and over grazing.

Millions of range land doesn't get commercial fertilization.

What's the stocking rate in those conditions?

 

[1982vett]

Pre 2008 I was stocking 1 cow to 3 acres, using 18 tons of 30-10-10 and cutting 100 or so acres for hay which I'd sell maybe 1/3 of.

Last year, I was stocked 1 cow to 6 acres. Spread 3 1/2 tons of 30-10-10 on 30 acres of volunteer ryegrass. Baled no hay.

This is some of the pasture I had

 

[RanchMan90]

Pre 2008 I was stocking 1 cow to 3 acres, using 18 tons of 30-10-10 and cutting 100 or so acres for hay which I'd sell maybe 1/3 of.

Last year, I was stocked 1 cow to 6 acres. Spread 3 1/2 tons of 30-10-10 on 30 acres of volunteer ryegrass. Baled no hay.

This is some of the pasture I had

Looks good :clap:

 

[Jessica06]

We feed liquid for the energy much more so than the protein. That's the question I'd be asking; what is the % energy? We keep it out for growing replacement heifers, and pairs right before we put bulls out. Earlier depending on forage and body condition.